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Lost your marriage certificate: reorder from the issuing county, $15–$20 a copy
Losing a marriage certificate isn't a disaster, and replacing it is actually quite simple, as long as you remember which county issued it.
Where to go
The county recorder that issued it. Not the county you live in now, the one where you got the marriage license.
Three ways, all fine:
- OnlineThis is the fastest way, but be sure to verify it's the official site (many third-party processing sites charge several times as much).
- By mailTime-wise, you will need to wait an extra 1 to 3 weeks.
- In personThe condition is that you happen to be in that county.
Typically $15 to $20 per copy.
Confidential licenses are more restricted
If what you got was a confidential marriage license(see item 2 of the checklist), and replacing it comes with much stricter restrictions.usually only the parties themselves may request one.
That's precisely the price of choosing confidential: the flip side of a record not being public is that you have more trouble retrieving it yourself. Sending someone on your behalf, or asking family to make the trip (easy with a public license) may simply not work with a confidential one.
How to avoid losing one again
Back to the advice in item 10 of the checklist: order 3 to 5 at once and store them separately.
Don't keep all five in the same folder, as that's effectively having just one. Keep at least one somewhere entirely different (like another residence or with a trusted family member).
Scan one to the cloud too. A scan can't be used for any procedure, but it can be used to:
- Check details (confirming the spelling of a parent's name while filling in a form)
- Show as informal proof to anyone who doesn't need an original
- Remember which county issued it, as this will be especially useful when you need a replacement.
When you'll suddenly need one
A marriage certificate isn't used only for the name change. You'll be asked for it again for:
- Filing and interviewing for a spousal green card (see items 21 and 118 of the checklist)
- The I-751 two years later (see item 119 of the checklist)
- Naturalization on the N-400 (see item 120 of the checklist)
- Adding a spouse to insurance, opening a joint account, recording property
- All the procedures that follow a spouse's death
Some agencies won't return the document after taking it, which is exactly why I often suggest ordering several copies.
In one line
Reorder from the issuing county at $15–$20 a copy; better still, order several at the start and store them apart.